Introducing Mozilla Monitor Plus, a new tool to automatically remove your personal information from data broker sites | The Mozilla Blog

ForgottenFlux@lemmy.world to Technology@lemmy.world – 616 points –
Introducing Mozilla Monitor Plus, a new tool to automatically remove your personal information from data broker sites  | The Mozilla Blog
blog.mozilla.org
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Sounds cool but I'm not sure I want to spend 100 bucks per year to spite the data brokers...idk I do like spite though.

They do have a free tier, and while it doesn't auto request your data removal they can at least notify you which data brokers have your info so you can make the requests manually yourself. https://monitor.mozilla.org/

Edit: The data removal features are currently available only in the US according to their FAQ:

Why is data removal only available in the US? When will it be available in my country?

Data removal is only available in the US because of legislation that allows data brokers to operate there. In many other countries and in regions like the EU, laws like GDPR prevent these websites from collecting and selling people’s personal information without their consent. We’re exploring ways to expand protection and personal data removal outside of the US where needed.

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/mozilla-monitor-faq

6 more...

Yeah, it's quite a bit. But on the other hand, it's to support mozilla as a whole.

Can’t stand the thought of encouraging either the industry or the “anti”-industry. Must be some companies both selling & selling removal services.

Well besides that it goes to a good cause, most other similar services, how do you prove they actually did the work? I mean you'd have to manually inquire to each and every broker wouldn't you? You're essentially taking their word for it (I'm personally a huge fan of OptMeOut, especially for $20 a year)

Mozzilla is at least proven reputable.

If I wasn't a college student, I'd definitely do it because I trust Mozilla for now.

I don't trust any companies.

Incogni is cheaper.

With all the discounts they offer it is, but technically Incogni is 12.98/month. And with as many YouTube sponsor spots as they buy, I'd imagine they're just trying to get as many people signed up as they can, and will stop offering as many discounts once they've burned through their investor cash.

I paid $25 to Optery for one month and that took care of like 99% of it for me.

Yeah that's the tack I've heard, just buy a month. I decided to buy a year, because I have existed for fucking ever, and there are a good number of those data brokers that drag their feet longer than a month to remove your info.

6 more...

If something like this actually works as designed, I’d like to see companies start to offer it free to employees, in much the same way a lot of them pay for financial planning services as part of the bennies.

With the amount of data brokers can have on people, and the sheer number of brokers, I could see something like this being a valuable component of a good enterprise security team. Help prevent social engineering breaches.

It would also disrupt the data brokerage model, and that’s a win.

Or, you know, the govs make this illegal like they should.

Well sure, but we all know that’s not going to happen any time soon. So until then, approach from all available fronts.

Have you forgotten that the govs include Intelligence and Law Enforcement agencies? They would never allow free information be taken from them.

Have you forgotten laws don’t stop an activity? They’re just the consequences for poor citizens if they’re caught. 😆

I’m responding to the idea that it’s something employers should offer. The private market isn’t going to fix this. They’re causing the problem and selling the “cure”.

Govs will have access to that data regardless. They don’t need compromised account databases.

US only :(

Exactly. Now I created another account, have another password that can be exploited for a service I can't use becausr it's geolocked.

Sure wish they mentioned it BEFORE signup.

They did. I wish they made it more clear or provide a global coverage. At least they allow account removal.

Near the bottom of the blog:

At launch, the Monitor Plus free scan and paid subscription service will be offered to people based in the United States.

Yeah that's what he said

I just provided the direct quote? People might want to read it in the company's own words, I did.

Pretty sure the EU doesn't need a service like this because they actually have privacy laws.

So worse than the other companies offering to unsubscribe you from data brokers, since they do US and EU

DeleteMe has been offering this service for years.

DeleteMe only does data brokers. This does breaches and brokers. It's like DeleteMe and HaveIBeenPwnd rolled into one.

Doesn’t that cost $$ tho?

So does this?

Lame

If paying Mozilla, a well respected privacy focused organization, $9/month to assist you in managing your privacy is too much, don't fret, you have a couple of free options:

  1. Spend hundreds of hours tracking down your own info and manually submitting opt-out requests. Here's a starting point: https://github.com/yaelwrites/Big-Ass-Data-Broker-Opt-Out-List

  2. Stop caring about Privacy and let data brokers do whatever they want with your information.